Floor-cleaner.



A. W. BUCHANAN.

FLOOR CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1913.

1,1 30,064. Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' A. W. BUCHANAN.

J7 IIIIEI WW Ill umlu , the preferred form such change with but part of the operator and without lifting the detail partly iii section of the ALEXANDER W. BUCHANAN, 0F COIXSRADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

FLOOR-CLEANER.

specification of Letters ratent.

Fatented Mar. 2, 1915.

Application filed July 8, 1918. Serial No. 777,809.

' lowing is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to a floor cleaning device in which a strip of suitable cloth is the cleaning medium employed and in which it is desirable, from time to time, to bring a new and clean portion of said cloth into contact with the floor, displacing contact and has gathered as much dirt as it will hold.

The subject matter of this application is a device which provides for readily effecting slight effort on the implement from the floor.

A further feature of this device is that the contact part or element and the part or element provided to take up the soiled part of the cleaning cloth are one and the same, and that the cleaning cloth itself, rolled upon the'contact part, forms thecushion for applying to the floor that part of the cleaning cloth which is in action.

I have heretofore referred to my invention as a'fioor cleaner but it will be readily apparent that it may be used, with or without modifications, for other similar walls, poses, as, for example, for cleaning walls, large windows, etc., or for the treatment of any substantially plane surface. And though I show and describe hereinafter several modifications of the invention, including that form which I consider to be preferable to all others,such detailed disclosure is for the purpose of the invention may be embodied in a great variety of other forms. But the scope of the invention is defined in the following claims in which I have endeavored to distinguish it from the prior art so far as known to me. without, however, relinquishing or abandoning any portion thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of of my invention; Fig.2 Fig. 3 an enlarged e elevation thereof;

end of the asi that portion which has been in e'xemplification only, as

' ready for use.

cleaner roll; Fig. 4 a transverse section showing the preferred means for attaching the end of the cloth tothe roll; Fig. 5 a side elevation of a modified form; Fig. 6 a side elevation of a further modification, and Fig. 7 a detail of a tool employed in connection with thedevice.

The same character of reference is employed in connection with each part wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

Referrin first to the preferred form shown in Figs-1, to linclusive, the frame of the implement comprises a U-- haped metal support 8 having the parallel sides 9, 9 in which the rotary members of the device are journaled and which frame is connected 10% a socket 10 with a handle 11 of any suita le character but preferably like the handle of the carpet 'sweeper in common use. If desired for greater rigidity, the support 8 may be braced by suitable cross-bars but if it be made of sufficient weight of metal this will not be necessary. Between the ends of the side members 9, 9 is journaled the contact or friction roll 12 which is provided at its ends with trunnions 13, 14 journaled in suitable openings in the ends of the frame.

' At a suitable distance above the contact roll the side. members of the frame are notched-as at 18, the bottoms of the notches being rounded to afford .bearings for the trunions 19 of a magazine or supply reel 20 upon which the strip of cloth to be used in the cleaner is wound before the. latter is The ends of the reel 20 are formed or provided with disks 21 somewhat larger in diameter when the magazine is full, one or both of which disks are notched on their peripheries as at 22 at suitable intervals for the recepthan the roll of cloth,

tion of bosses -23 upon the stop 'bar 24. The I latter is mounted upon a spring or springs y in a position convenient for the operator is located a bell-crank 27 which is pivoted in a kerf or groove therein and connected by a wire or cord 28 with the stop. bar 24, which wire may be guided at suitable intervals by screw-eyes 29, 30.

With the device thus described any suitable means may be used for securing the ends of the strip of cleaning fabric .to the rolls, but I shown in Fig. 4 which consists in tacking a short friction strip 31 of rather rough fabric longitudinally of the-roll body and inserting the end between the friction strip 31 and the roll,

- when the strip of fabric maybe wound up the strip .31 in close on the roll, the succeeding layers holding contact with the end of the cleaning strip, and thereby preventing,

the latter from slipping.

-As heretofore stated the contact roll is mounted in its bearings by simply spreading the branches of the frame sufiiciently topermit the roll tru'nnions to be inserted in the bearing openings thereof. The magazine or supply reel after a suitable amount of materialhas been wound thereon is dropped into its bearing notches on the frame, the stop bar 24 being drawn or-l' pressed backward to permit this to be done, and when released keeping said reel in position. The end of the cleaning strip is then passed through the frame between the reel and roll and attached to the contact roll in the manner above described and suflicient of the material wound on the latter to form the necessary cushion, the stop bar in the meantime being withdrawn sufii'ciently to permit the magazine reel to revolve and eed the fabric. The implement is then ready for use and the contact roll is rubbed forward and backward over the floor to be cleaned, being prevented from turning in one direction by the pawl 17 and perforated disk-15' and in the other by the which is restraine by the magazine reel and the stop bar coacting therewith. When 1t is desired to use a new section of the cleaning fabric the stopv bar is' withdrawn w from contact with the disks 21-- so that the cloth from the ma magazine reel is' free th to turn and thereu on e contact roll. is rubbed along the cor with suflicient pressureto cause it to revolve in the direction permitted by its pawl and ratchet and thereby to wind a section of azine reel. The stop bar is then release 'and again locks the magazine reel. The used portion of the prefer the very simpledevice of the cleaner strip to be wound of cleaning fabric 32 strip is of course wound within the newly supplied portion and the dirt, dust and ad ing the implement, from the fioorand when the strip upon the magazine reel is exhausted the reel .and roll are taken out of the device, the strip removed from'the contactroll upon which it has been wound and a new strip wound upon the magazine reel. Or of course if desired the old strip may be cleaned in some suitable manner and returned to the magazine reel. Obviously the strip may be treated with material to cause the particles of dust, etc., to adhere. to it or with any. liquid or other-substance which it is desired toapply to the floor or surface to be treated.

The other forms of the trated in the drawings described only in certain details. In that shown in- Fig. 5 a different means is employed for controlling the reel in which an ordinary ratchet 15 is substituted; for the perforated disk 15 and a spring pawl 17' of any suitable or usual design is secured to a rivet 33 upon the frame and coacts with'the ratchet in the usual .manner. Instead of the notched disks "and stop bar for. the magazine reel of the ,previously described modification I employ in this'modificationa friction brake 34 having a pad of cloth or other friction material 35 upon the under face thereof and fastened by a spring or springs 36 to the frame at 37.

The same means may be employed for retracting this brake bar as described in connection with the stop bar 24 but I have shown the bell-crank lever 27 as slightly changed from that of the first described form of the invention, it being formed with lugs 38 which span the handle 11 and are pivoted on the outside thereof. The operation of-this device is substantially like the former, it being only necessary, in order to change the portion of the cleaning fabric, used to retract the brake bar 34 so that the magazine reel may revolve, and then cause the contact roll to revolve in the direction permitted by its ratchet and pawl by pressing it into. contact with the floor or surface being cleaned and moving it along the sal ne.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the contact roll is identical with that shown in Fi s. 1 to 3 inclusive. The ma azine reel 29 however,-is in the formo parallelepipedon shown as square in cross section,' with which cooperates a spring 39 having a flattened portion to cooperate with the sides of the reel to prevent rotation thereof and an angular the corners of the reel for the purpose of preventing its rotation, thus providing for" invention ,illusdiffer'from that just portion which is adapted' to fit over it is firmly held during the 0111131011 of the implement and cannot be holding the reel after each eighth of a. rotation. The. ,means for pulling upon the cord or wiremay be either. of the bellcranks heretofore described or any other suitable device. In-this modification I have shown features which are also applicable to either of the other two modifications, if desired, one of which consists in a somewhat enlarged trunnion 19 on the magazine reel provided with a square recess 42 with which a crank 43, shown in Fig. l, may be used to turn the reel to wind up the fabric when desired. The other feature referred to is 'a'protecting or buffer strip 51 of rubber or other suitable material for preventing marring of any furniture with which the implement may come into contact.

It will be seen that each of these forms of my invention is provided with a contact roll upon which the cleaning fabric may be wound from time to time as it becomes soiled or inefficient, the dirt and other matter accumulated on the fabric being inclosed by the following layer of material so that subsequent opblown away or otherwise disseminated in the room or compartment being cleaned.

Obviously, if it is desired to secure firmer contact between the implement and the surface being treated, either or both the'reel and roll or the frame may be made of heavy material but preferably the weighty material is put into the roll because the latter may be readily exchanged for a lighter roll when occasion demands.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a frame, a contact roll mounted in the end thereof, means for attaching a strip of fabric to be wound thereon to the roll, means engaging the roll the contact roll in one direction but permitting its rotation in the other direction, and means for engaging the strip to normally prevent its being wound upon said roll.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame, a roll mounted in the end thereof provided with means for securing the end of a strip of fabric thereto, a ratchet on the roll and a pawl on the frame adapted to permit the roll to turn in a direction to wind the strip of fabric thereon but to prevent its rotating in the opposite direction, a reel mounted on the frame and adapted to have the other end of the fabric strip wound.

thereon and means under the control of the operator for normally preventing rotation of the reel. I

3. In a device of the class described, a frame, a contact roll mounted in the en thereof and adapted to receive material to be brought in contact with a surface to be cleaned and to have the same wound thereon, a ratchet secured to one end of said of said roller in one zine reel under the pull of the for preventing rotation of roller, a pawl secured to the frame and cooperating with said ratchet to prevent its rotation 1n one direction, a magazine reel also mounted on the frame, and means for normally preventing rotation of the magazine reel.

4. In a device of the class described, a frame, a contact roll mounted in the end thereof in position to engage a surface to be cleaned, means for preventing the rotation of said roller in one direction while permitting its rotation in the other direction, a magazine reel also mounted in the frame, and a releasable catch under the control of the operator for normally preventing the rotation. of the magazine reel.

5. Ina device of the class described, a frame, a contact roll thereof in position to engage a surface to be cleaned, means for preventing the rotation direction while permitting its rotation in the other direction, a

magazine reel also mounted in the frame,

spring actuated means for preventing the rotation of the magazine reel, and means for withdrawing the same from contact with the reel.

6. In a device of the class described, a frame, a contact roll andja magazine re mounted in the frame, a strip of fabric connected at its opposite ends to the reel and mounted in the end roll respectively and partially wound there- 7 on, pawl and ratchet means for preventing the turning of the contact roll to unwind the strip but permitting said roll to turn in mally preventing the rotation of the magastrip of fabric and means for releasing the last said means to permit the magazine reel to turn and pay off the fabric.

7.111 a device of the class described, a frame, a contact roll and a magazine reel mounted in the frame, a strip of fabric connected at its opposite ends to the reel an roll respectively and partially wound thereon, pawl and ratchet means for preventing the turning of the contact roll to unwind the strip but permitting said roll to turn in a direction to wind the strip, means for normally resisting the rotation of the magazine reel under the'pull of the fabric comprising notched disks on the ends of said reel, a stop bar having projections adapted to enter the notches, a spring carrying the stop bar, a handle, a lever on the handle, and connections from the lever to the stop whereby the latter is retracted from contact with said disks.

8. In a den e of. the class described, a

1 frame having the side members 9, one of being resilient and having formed integral therewith a pawl 17, a roll journaled between said side members, a disk on anend of said roll having a circular said members a direction to wind the strip, means norseries of apertures with which said pawl is contact roll in either direction, consisting adapted to engage and means for holding of a pawl and ratchet acting in one direc- 20 the end of a strip woundon said roll. tion and a tension of the strip of cleaning 9. In a device of the class described, a fabric acting in the other direction; means handle, a frame. attached to said handle, a for maintaining the tension of the cleaning magazine reel mounted in said frame, a supfabric by locking themagazine reel upon ply of cleaning fabric in the form of a strip which said fabric is wound; means under 5.

having one of its ends removably attached control of the operator for releasing the to said magazine reel and being wound upon tension on the cleaning fabric by unlocking said reel; a contact roll revolubly mounted the magazine reel and thus leaving the conbetween the ends of said frame and having tact roll free to be revolved in one direction the other end of said cleaning fabric removby frictional contact with the surface to be 30 ably attached to it, said contact roll being cleaned, thereby winding upon itself a poradapted to press said cleaning fabric into tion of said cleaning fabric.

contact with the surface to be cleaned and to ALEXANDER W. BUCHANAN. be revolved in its bearings by frictional con- Witnesses: tact with the surface to be cleaned; means A. M. KoRs EYER,

for normally preventing rotation of said EDWARD W. KENT. 

